Second Chances are a Bother
by Aloria
Summary: Sephy's come back again! timeline shortly after the game, and he's stuck on Mideel of all places... Giving him the chance to redeem himself, but only if he chooses to. Minor Seph:OC
1. Return

Oh nooo!!! Not another one!! ;) anyway, it's one of those 'Sephy's Back' fanfics, but I hope you'll find it to be one of the better ones, dearest reader.  
  
RESTART  
  
His heart pounded in his chest like a hammer on an anvil, beating a heated sword into shape. Sweat poured down his face like rivers, his body trying desperately to cool itself from the fever gripping him like a vice.  
  
Sephiroth moaned softly, he'd never experienced this sort of thing in his life before and he was somewhat frightened of it, though he would never let anyone know of his fear.  
  
"Shh, it'll be okay," someone murmured and a cool damp cloth was lain across Sephiroth's forehead. The voice was female and tender, though Sephiroth had never before heard it. He shifted, trying to get away from this stranger who had him in such a weakened state.  
  
Forcing his eyes open, Sephiroth looked up to see a ceiling swimming with swirls of strange color and a young woman dressed in white bent over him. Her black hair swirled around her like snakes in Sephiroth's vision. Nothing seemed to stay still for long. The woman seemed to be the one who moved most often, leaving images of herself in motion like a very wacky movie.  
  
"Close your eyes, hon," she said softly, replacing the cool cloth on his forehead when it fell off after he'd moved, trying to get away from her and her insane surroundings.  
  
"There's no use talking to him, Layla, he has Mako Poisoning and wouldn't be able to understand you anyway," a man said, he was dressed in white as well. Sephiroth's eyes widened and he meant to say something, he's meant to tell them to go away, but all that came out of his mouth was a gurgling moan.  
  
Layla looked at him pityingly, "I thought that maybe talking to him would calm him down some..." she said softly, pushing his hair back from his face.  
  
Sephiroth took hold of his body, finally moving his arm and smacking her hand away from his face where she was smoothing his hair back. Again, he tried to command them to go away, but all that emerged was "Ouuaghh!!" which was highly embarrassing, however, Sephiroth wasn't exactly in a condition to blush, even if he would have in the first place.  
  
Layla blinked, "Doctor, he seems to be getting some strength back," she stated the obvious and looked up at the short elderly man with white fringe on only the sides of his head. He pushed his glasses up on his bulbous nose and made his way over, his hands in the pockets of his white coat.  
  
Sephiroth struggled harder, trying to get away from this man, he seemed too much like Hojo. Finally, Sephiroth managed to roll off the bed. He landed with a hard thump and puled himself over to the wavering wall. Layla put her hands to her mouth, "How terrible! He seems scared of you, Doctor!"  
  
Sephiroth glared at the woman, he wasn't scared. He watched as the elderly man removed his coat and set it aside, coming towards Sephiroth with empty hands. "Maybe this will help?" he said, and Sephiroth kept his muscles taunt and ready to spring away if the man did anything.  
  
The elderly man crouched near Sephiroth and held out his hands, "There now, he was only scared of my coat, Layla." He reached forward to lay a hand on Sephiroth's forehead. Jerking himself back, Sephiroth slammed his head against the wall behind him by accident. The doctor caught him as he slumped forward, dry-heaving. The room spun around him and Sephiroth found refuge from the torment by passing out. 


	2. Twisted

TWISTED  
  
Slowly, he opened his eyes again, finding the room stable and calm. It was night time, he could tell by the moonlight shining through the single window to his right. The room wasn't very large, and made smaller by the several beds lined up against one wall. The walls seemed to be made of logs and a cautious touch confirmed that. Sephiroth slowly sat up to survey the rest of the room. There was a doorway at the far-left end of the room and from under the closed door light shone in. A gentle breeze touched the light curtains at the window and Sephiroth realized the window was open and the bugs he heard were outside. He pushed the light sheet from him and carefully set his feet on the floor, finding himself to be only covered by a strange gown that was completely open in the back.  
  
Sephiroth frowned at his situation and stood, moving over to the window. Pushing the curtains aside, he looked out to see trees, a small town, and the most frustrating of all things, bars over the window. The air was warm and moist, the bugs loudly singing in the darkness. The sky above was almost black with the half-moon shining brightly in the sky, the stars twinkled like jewels and Sephiroth judged it to be about midnight.  
  
Turning, he looked around for any semblance of clothing, he found none. He felt strange, different somehow. Lifting a hand, he went to push his hair back from his shoulders- and found that it had been cut. His hair had been cut to about shoulder length, his bangs had been left alone, but the rest of his hair was gone. That had been what hadn't felt right, the weight gone from the back of his head.  
  
His eyes glowed brightly in the darkness as he stalked toward the door at the end of the room, completely forgetting his lack of clothing. Slamming the door open, he completely startled the young man sitting at a desk facing the front door. "WHO CUT MY HAIR!?" Sephiroth snarled, picking the boy up by the collar of his white shirt that seemed like a uniform. "WHO CUT MY HAIR!?" Sephiroth repeated louder this time, shaking the brown haired young man so that he almost got whiplash.  
  
"I- it was too long to wash!" he sobbed, gripping Sephiroth's wrist, "Please! Don't hurt me!! It was too long to wash while you were sick!"  
  
Sephiroth threw the young man back down into his chair in disgust. "Where's my clothes?"  
  
"C-clothes?"  
  
Sephiroth's eyes flashed with brilliant green light, "Yes, clothes! THINGS YOU WEAR! Where are mine?"  
  
"Y-you diddn't have any! Tthey found you on the beach!" The young man cowered, his brown eyes wide in fright. His tiny snub nose twitching and his pale lips trembling.  
  
Sephiroth noticed a name tag on the boy's shirt and read it quickly, 'Harold' it said. "Well, Harold, I suggest you get me something to wear before I break your neck."  
  
"Yes sir!!" Harold scrambled out of his chair and out the front door, leaving it open.  
  
Sephiroth watched as Harold ran to a house nearby, banging frantically on the door until it opened and babbling at the person who opened the door. An elderly man exited that house moments later wearing a hastily donned medical uniform like Harold was wearing. Sephiroth clasped his hands behind him, watching the old man come up the cobblestone pathway at a somewhat hurried pace as Harold continued down the other way.  
  
The old man stepped through the door, receiving the full brunt of Sephiroth's suspicious gaze. "This is absolutely amazing!" the old man said, rubbing his hands together, "You seem to have recovered fully from both your sickness and severe Mako Poisoning!"  
  
"I want clothes. Now." Sephiroth growled, showing his teeth somewhat.  
  
"Complete recovery!" the old man said enthusiastically, "Please, sir, let me examine you-"  
  
"NO!" Sephiroth snapped, not liking the thought of anyone examining him. "I want clothes."  
  
The old man wrung his hands, "Harold and Layla should be coming soon with clothing for you, but please sir, I'd like to know how it is that you've recovered-"  
  
"NO!" Sephiroth repeated. "You may have gotten away with examining me while I was 'sick' but you will not get the chance again."  
  
The old man's eyes widened, the glow of Sephiroth's eyes reflecting in his glasses. "I was right- you are afraid of doctors!"  
  
"I fear nothing," Sephiroth snapped, irritated that anyone found out about his one phobia.  
  
"Perhaps I should tell you how we found you, Joseph?" the man said, taking a seat behind the desk. Sephiroth took a moment to look at his surroundings once again, finding the room almost as small as the one he'd woken up in, the walls made of logs. The desk was made of wood and there was a simple bookshelf behind the desk and chair with what looked like files.  
  
Sephiroth realized then what the old man had called him, "Joseph?"  
  
The old man smiled, pushing his glasses up, "Layla named you that. No one else knew who you were and we certainly didn't expect you to recover enough to ever tell us your true name."  
  
Sephiroth realized that the man didn't recognize him at all and apparently neither had Harold or Layla. He considered telling who he really was, then declined. The old man was silent, as if expecting Sephiroth to solve the enigma, but Sephiroth stayed silent as well.  
  
"I suppose you don't remember your name, hmm?" the old man asked softly, disappointed.  
  
Sephiroth pondered a moment, Joseph wasn't that bad of a name and certainly would allow him some form of secrecy in this new town. "No. I don't," he lied, his face not changing expression at all.  
  
"A sad fate to not know who you are," the old man shook his head, "In any case, we found you on the beach three months ago, completely naked. We brought you hear and I diagnosed you with extremely severe Mako Poisoning, you were very close to dying, Joseph- you don't mind being called that, do you?" At the shake of Sephiroth's head, the old man continued. "You then caught the flu which lasted for far longer then normal-"  
  
Layla dashed in, her eyes wide and watering. Sephiroth saw that her hair was not snakes, but simply braided into many tiny braids underneath and left free on top. She had blue eyes like the sky just after a storm and a round face. Her nose was small and slightly upturned, her hair a deep chocolate brown and from the looks of it, hung down to her mid back. "Oh Joseph!" she cried and threw herself on Sephiroth, her arms going around his waist and her head resting on his chest. "I'm so glad you're better! The Doctor said you'd never get better but I had hope! I'm so happy that my care has brought you back to yourself!"  
  
Sephiroth straightened, trying to push the girl off him without hurting her but she hung on tenaciously. Looking down, he noticed that she had the rest of his hair braided and hanging from her waist like a belt. Her form was somewhat plump with wide hips and chest, an hourglass figure, but not exactly the most attractive of specimens. Finally, Sephiroth detached her from his waist and he glowered at her.  
  
"Wearing my hair..." he growled softly.  
  
Layla blushed deeply, fingering the braid, "I just didn't think it was right to throw it away..."  
  
Sephiroth calmed his anger, "Fine, keep it," he said stiffly and turned his eyes toward Harold. The young man could only be around seventeen and was built like a bean poll. His head seemed far too large for his body because of his wild brown hair and Sephiroth saw that he was carrying some clothing.  
  
Sephiroth reached over and snatched the clothes from Harold's arms and started by pulling the way too loose pants on under his half-dress thing. Once he'd belted his pants, he removed the white hospital gown and threw it into Layla's face, pulling on a shirt, his hands moving to pull his hair out of the collar and remembering that he didn't have as much as he used to. He tucked his shirt into his pants and looked at Harold, who'd forgotten to bring shoes of any sort.  
  
"Um.. I couldn't find any that even looked like they'd fit, sir..." Harold said, tapping the ends of his fingers together nervously.  
  
Sephiroth grunted in acceptance of that excuse. He did happen to have rather large feet. Layla stared at him with wide adoring eyes. "I'll have to cut your hair again to even it out, Joseph, now that you're better, you can't just go around with it like that." Sephiroth couldn't help his expression, and the old doctor laughed softly.  
  
"Don't worry Joseph, she does a good job at whatever she puts her mind to. She can be very stubborn as well."  
  
That's what I'm afraid of! Sephiroth thought to himself as he looked at Layla, almost recoiling in terror at the worshiping glimmer in her eyes. HELP!! 


	3. Attack of the Cabbage Man!

ATTACK OF THE CABBAGE MAN!  
  
Sephiroth frowned at the magazine he was looking at while he perched on the bed he'd woken up in. "Attack of the Cabbage Man" it said on the front page, but Sephiroth could find nothing in the magazine's pages that had anything to do with either cabbages or attacks. Tossing the magazine aside, he lifted his eyes to find Layla mooning at him. She stood there with her hands clasped together up near her face and her eyes sparkling with adoration. Sephiroth was utterly disgusted.  
  
"Oh Joseph! Do you not like that one? I can get you another if you want? Do you want anything to eat or drink? If there's anything you want I could fetch it for you!" Layla babbled.  
  
"I want some privacy," Sephiroth growled at her and her expression changed to one of a kicked puppy. Sephiroth would have felt sorry for her, if he hadn't had to deal with her fawning all over him for the past week already.  
  
Reluctantly, she turned, leaving the room, her shoulders slumped and her head bowed, hair falling forward. She stopped at the door to give him one last hopeful look before leaving. Sephiroth sighed, running his hands through his hair. It had turned out okay once the ends had been evened out. Layla had wanted to cut his bangs and he'd hesitated before allowing that as well. He'd felt somewhat upset as he watched the long silver hair fall down into his lap. He'd once again taken to wearing all black, having gotten out into New Mideel to buy some clothes that actually fit. He got up, brushing his lap off as if brushing off the memories of the past week. Going to the window, he looked out it.  
  
It was storming terribly outside. Lightning flashed brightly and thunder crashed almost right overhead. Everyone was inside at this time and Sephiroth was just stuck inside under the careful eyes of the Doctor, his assistant Harold and the obsessed eyes of Layla. Sephiroth found that he'd been up and about for only a week but he had many little female followers. Many of the girls in town stared at him with wide eyes like their brains had fried and the heat pressure was going to make their eyes pop out.  
  
Sephiroth hated it, he hated every second of it because it was just like it had been in Midgar, in Shinra. He despised it and wanted away. He'd never been that courageous when it came to social events or having a conversation with people, nor even when people were looking at him.  
  
"Coward," Sephiroth muttered to his reflection in the glass as he put his hands on the sill. "Absolute coward... you never stuck around for much of anything. That's why you never got what you really were after. Well... Sephiroth, you're dead. Cloud killed you. I'm going to actually make something of myself now. I won't be a puppet... not like Cloud was. He hid himself in his own little world in his head and somehow he still broke from his strings. Its time I broke from mine. Not Jenova, or Hojo, or Shinra, or anyone can hold me now. No one but me will make my decisions." He tapped his finger on the glass as if to prove his point.  
  
"That's the first step to becoming free," said a soft voice from behind Sephiroth and he turned around quickly. The Doctor stood there with his arms crossed a slight smile on his face, twinkling in his eyes. "Making that first decision to become free is the first step. I've been waiting for you to make up your mind about it for a while now."  
  
"You've known," Sephiroth stated, leaning back against the wall beside the window, the pulled aside curtains brushing against his arm.  
  
"Yes... I knew the moment I found you on the beach. After you'd been the way you were for as long as you were, I'd thought you wouldn't be making a recovery, but you did." The doctor smiled kindly. "You'd almost fooled me into thinking you really didn't remember who you were," the old man winked, "Almost." I sent Layla and Harold home, so they won't be listening in."  
  
Sephiroth pulled his eyes back from the door, he'd been staring at it almost the moment the doctor had started speaking, just waiting for Layla to come in with some cookies or something of that sort. "Good. I'd rather no one else realized."  
  
"Yes, it would put you in some suspicion. Though, I have to tell you, the Committee was worried, they know who you are as well, but I assured them that you don't remember who you were, they're uneasy though," the old man moved over to the bed closest to the window, perching on the end of it. "They've begged for a meeting with you to see if you really know who you are."  
  
Sephiroth folded his arms together, his head bowed slightly, frowning at his feet. "I'll meet with them."  
  
The old man shifted, scratching his thigh some. "I suggest you lie if you really want to make something of this second chance you have." Sephiroth nodded slightly then, feeling somewhat amused at being told to lie. "And maybe you should stop acting like him too. If he's really 'dead' as you said, lay him to rest and take up your new name."  
  
Sephiroth sighed. "I-... don't know any other way to act..."  
  
"Try being happier?" the old man suggested sympathetically, stretching and curling his fingers, trying to relieve the arthritis in his joints.  
  
Sephiroth snorted, turning to put his shoulder against the edge of the window, looking out it again. "I've never experienced that, hence I could not act that way."  
  
There was silence in the room then, silence except for the roll of thunder and patter of heavy rain against the window and roof. Sephiroth stared out at the rain, though his eyes focused on his reflection once again. His bangs were now the same length as the rest of his hair, though they still jutted upward and folded down to just above his eyebrows. The rest of his hair was level at his chin and some of it was let to fall around his ears, though they still poked out between the locks of silver.  
  
It took a moment for Sephiroth to realize the doctor was speaking again. "Then maybe you should try caring first?"  
  
"Who should I care about?"  
  
"Who do you want to care about?" the old doctor returned his question like a ball over a net. Sephiroth sighed. "Why not start with something simple? Say, a pet?"  
  
"Pets are for children."  
  
"But are you not technically a child now? If your former self has found his rest, then your new self would be new to this world," the doctor returned yet again. Sephiroth found it maddening but it did make him think, as the doctor had intended. He refrained from answering and silence fell between them again. He saw in the window that the doctor was smiling yet again, his eyes bright.  
  
"Suppose I'll leave you to your thoughts. Just don't dwell on them too much or you're likely to end up in the same rut he did, and look where that got him," the doctor said just before he got to his feet, making his way out. "I'll be in the front room if you need me." He left then, Sephiroth stayed at the window, listening to the rain.  
  
"A pet..." Sephiroth commented softly to himself. 


	4. Bakara

BAKARA!  
  
Sephiroth was walking down the street, his gang of goggling girls all staring at him as he made his early morning rounds. The sky was just beginning to lighten but it had become a well known thing that Sephiroth took a long walk completely through New Mideel at dawn. He found it soothing to have the streets to himself, though the echo of his footsteps hurt somewhere in his soul. The deep forest surrounding Mideel was in full blow summer and birds were just beginning to wake for the day, their joyous peeps breaking the silence.  
  
A different sound broke the silence then, a loud barking coming down the street at full tilt. Sephiroth lifted his eyes from the street, seeing a dog chasing something small and very afraid. Sephiroth watched as the little grey streak passed him then the large dog. The streak darted under some stairs, the only hiding place the tiny kitten could find, but it wasn't good enough, for the dog was scrambling under the stairs to get at the kitten. Sephiroth made his way over, grabbing the dog by the scruff of the neck and pulling it away, holding it at arm's length as he reached under the stairs and deftly snatched up the spitting and hissing kitten. He got bitten viciously for his effort, but he kept hold of the kitten, pulling it out and stuffing it into his coat, turning loose the dog.  
  
The stupid canine scrabbled at the stairs, barking and trying to get the kitten it thought was still there but Sephiroth held the squirming bundle against his chest as he carried it back to the hospital. He stepped inside, closing the door behind him. Layla was sitting at the desk at that time, reading a romance novel. Hearing the door close, she looked up.  
  
"Joseph! What happened to your hand?!" she gasped, getting to her feet as Sephiroth reached into his coat with his injured hand and brought out the kitten.  
  
"Dog was chasing it," Sephiroth said shortly, plopping it on the desk.  
  
Layla almost swooned, "Its so adorable!" she bubbled, reaching out to pet the kitten but the grey furred little beast hissed.  
  
Sephiroth stared at the kitten, watching it as it collected its dignity, but hissed at anyone that came near it. He finally recognized its behavior as his own. The kitten stayed on the desk, fearful of any touch, lest it be a harmful one, but it still tried to look strong and self sufficient. "-Joseph!" Layla interrupted his thoughts.  
  
Blinking, he looked at her. "I asked if you were going to keep it," Layla repeated.  
  
Sephiroth pondered for a long moment, remembering the doctor's words and how much the kitten reminded him of himself. "Yes," he answered finally.  
  
Layla smiled brightly, "That's so sweet of you!" Sephiroth felt disgusted. Reaching over, he picked up the kitten again and went into the other room. His hand was already healed, he simply washed the blood off after setting the kitten on a bed. Going over, he sat on the bed as well, leaving the kitten at the foot of the bed. Sephiroth stared off into space, his fingers occasionally twitching where he had his hand on the bed beside his thigh.  
  
He pulled his hand away from a sharp pricking on his fingers but found tiny paws trying to drag his hand back to be chewed on by a grey face with large multi-colored eyes set just below bat-like ears. Sephiroth twitched his hand somewhat and found that that was what had attracted the kitten's attention. The kitten attacked him over and over as he moved his hand around on the bed and under the covers, wiggling his fingers. After only a few moment, he found himself smiling with true amusement at the tiny non-intelligent creature's antics. 


	5. Repention

REPENTION  
  
Sephiroth was curled up on his side, taking a nap, having nothing better to do, not to mention he really didn't have that much energy, having spent three months abed before. He knew it would take a while to get his energy back up, so he simply bided his time. Layla kept coming in every thirty minutes to check on him. Under his chin, the kitten he'd saved from becoming dog breakfast was curled.  
  
Sephiroth woke to find someone gently shaking him awake and hearing the frightened hisses of his new kitten. He opened his eyes, looking up to see a frightened young man. "Sir- you've been summoned before the Committee," he said shakily. Sephiroth yawned widely, sitting up and stretching. Reaching down, he picked up the kitten and sat it on his shoulder after he got to his feet.  
  
The young man had brown hair and was somewhat stocky in build. He had blue eyes that glowed, Mako eyes, he'd been in SOLDIER, though Sephiroth had personally never met him. He realized that this boy would know who he really was and tried to act nonchalant, giving the kitten on his shoulder scratches now and then.  
  
"Follow me, sir," the young man said and turned, making his way out.  
  
"No need to call me that," Sephiroth commented softly. "It's not like I'm an officer or anything special," he felt somewhat sick denying the only things he'd ever known were true in his life.  
  
The young man looked over his shoulder at Sephiroth, "Y- you're not?"  
  
Sephiroth simply shook his head, recalling the smile he'd found earlier when playing with the kitten and pulling his lips into it again. "No. I don't know what I was, but I've got the feeling that it doesn't matter much now anyway."  
  
The young man's back relaxed somewhat, as if his fears that Sephiroth was going to kill him while he wasn't looking were eased somewhat. "That's good to know."  
  
The sky was bright, it was midday now, some clouds off to the west, but they'd passed already, so there was no possibility of rain. Sephiroth walked behind the young man that he began to recognize as Roscoe, a young man who'd only just joined SOLDIER when Sephiroth had been sent to Nibelheim. The young man had a lot of promise, but was a little too sympathetic to his foes. Sephiroth reached up, picking his kitten off his shoulder and cradling it in his hands.  
  
"How has life been to you, Roscoe Kenton?" Sephiroth murmured softly, but only loud enough for the young man to hear him, though he seemed to have been talking to the sleepy kitten.  
  
Roscoe's back stiffened then and he looked back over his shoulder frightfully. "How-"  
  
"I'll tell you when we get inside," Sephiroth replied, sighing and blowing across the kitten's ears. The grey fuzzy animal woke up then, growling and suddenly hopping up and biting Sephiroth's nose. Roscoe blinked a few times, watching the kitten hang on like a leech for a moment then he started laughing.  
  
Sephiroth found that his breathing only caused the kitten to tighten its grip on his nose and he held his breath a moment. Finally the kitten let go and flopped down to resume its nap. "Bakara!" Sephiroth exclaimed, tempted to throw the kitten back to the dogs but immediately calmed his anger, instead laughing softly as well. His fingers gently caressed the kitten's fur while it was curled up on one palm.  
  
Roscoe seemed to have forgotten Sephiroth's earlier words, for he continued to laugh, but Sephiroth detected a note of wariness in the boy's voice and smiled slightly. Sephiroth could feel eyes on him as he walked down the street, knowing all the girls were watching him and the boys were glaring out of jealousy. The buildings on either side of the cobblestone street were made of logs, cut down from the forest that surrounded the small village of New Mideel. Off just to the east was the ruins of Old Mideel where the Lifestream had burst upward to create a lake of Lifestream. Anyone who resided near it for any period of time seemed to feel more alive and energetic.  
  
Sephiroth felt alive, but he certainly didn't want to be in that state. Bakara purred, rolling over in his hand, almost rolling completely out of his hand. Sephiroth had to juggle quickly to catch the kitten and keep it from falling on the ground. He looked up only to smack into a low hanging sign- face first.  
  
Laughter burst out around him and Sephiroth felt the burn of blood in his cheeks for the first time in his entire life. Lifting a hand to his face, he checked his nose first then put his palm against his forehead. Sidestepping the sign, Sephiroth continued onward toward the Council House at the end of the street. The kitten stared up at him innocently.  
  
He stalked into the dimness of the entry hall, pushing past the double glass doors that blocked entrance. Roscoe hurried to catch up, looking a little worried, he'd seen the look on Sephiroth's face. "General- I uh I-" he sputtered, having bungled it completely.  
  
"Geez... at least you did it in here instead of out there," Sephiroth growled and Roscoe stopped in his tracks.  
  
"B-but - but you said-" Roscoe hurried, trying to catch up to Sephiroth's fast strides through the small waiting room and into the council room.  
  
There were five people sitting at a horseshoe table facing the door. They all noticeably jumped when Sephiroth came storming in. Sephiroth took a long deep breath, controlling his fluttering nerves. "I will not lie to any of you. I know who and what I am, I have since I recovered."  
  
There was a gasp, "The doctor said you didn't though!"  
  
"Originally, I was going to go along with that. But I've decided not to. Too many things to trap me later. So I'll just come straight with you all now. My intentions here are to.." he paused a moment, feeling somewhat embarrassed at his rather silly plans, plans he'd spent the time between that rainy day the week before and now making. He cleared his throat, afraid his voice would crack, "I just want to.. to..." bowing his head, he couldn't look at their faces.  
  
"I never wanted to do what I did. It was always someone else's orders.. Shinra's. Hojo's. Scarlett's.... never mine... but now.. now I have the chance to do what I want to," Sephiroth blurted, lifting his chin once again to look at the council members who stared in awe. One elderly man spoke up softly.  
  
"What Do you want to do?" he asked, the tone soft yet severe, as if he blamed everything that had ever gone wrong on Sephiroth.  
  
Sephiroth swallowed, blushing deeply for the second time in his life. "I want to.. to.."  
  
"Yes?" they leaned forward, almost as one, eyes wide, expecting something terrible.  
  
"To..."  
  
Roscoe clenched his fists, his eyes wide, he'd worshiped Sephiroth practically all his life and to know what that great man had truly wanted in his life was an honor.  
  
"To..."  
  
The council members held their breath.  
  
"To-"  
  
"Spit it out!" the old man shouted.  
  
"GROW FLOWERS!"  
  
As one, everyone hit the floor.  
  
"I... that's all I want to do.." Sephiroth hunched his shoulders up, feeling incredibly stupid. The kitten in his hands yawned and stretched, blinking at the loud crash that had just sounded.  
  
"F-f-flowers?! But- General Sephiroth!" Roscoe held out one hand toward Sephiroth, as if pleading it weren't true.  
  
Sephiroth kept his face absolutely straight as he watched them all then he threw back his head and laughed. "That- was... fun!" He laughed a moment more then wiped his eyes, "No.. not flowers. I wish to train your military or equivalent here so that this town has adequate protection from the monsters. I'll need a new weapon, Masamune has apparently been lost.. all the better. Let it be damned to hell along with Shinra."  
  
The council members slowly picked themselves off the floor and resettled their chairs with much coughing. "Our... soldiers are trained well enough, General Sephiroth-"  
  
"Please... don't call me that," Sephiroth interrupted softly, "That's also part of what I want... I want Sephiroth dead. I don't want to be him anymore."  
  
"Then what should we call you?" asked the old man, apparently the spokes person of the group.  
  
"Ano... Joseph is alright," Sephiroth shrugged, realizing that telling them this committed him to that name from that day forward probably.  
  
"We'll think about letting you train the Soldiers here, but until then... stick to your flowers," the old man said. Sephiroth was amused yet again and gave a crisp salute.  
  
"Yes sir." 


	6. Fallout

FALLOUT  
  
Sephiroth had managed to find a nice little spot just inside the forest that he could go to be alone, or at least away from Layla and her constant watch. He really was getting tired of it all. He sat on the ground, his back against the trunk of a tree near his little garden plot he'd built. He'd been through the forest digging up nice flowers and replanting them where he wanted them. Now he sat under the tree reading a book he'd swiped from the library when no one was looking.  
  
The sunlight streaming between the leaves above flitted on the pages as Bakara hid among the flowers and pounced on shadows. He'd finally figured out that the kitten was a female but he still called her Bakara. A light breeze blew though the forest, tickling his hair across his neck.  
  
His mind returned to just that morning when a kid had come up to him. Sephiroth had seen the young boy many times before, but never had been asked a question by him.  
  
"Why do you wear black all the time?" the boy asked innocently, his eyes wide. "Mommy says black is for bad people and morning, but you wear black all the time. Are you bad?"  
  
Sephiroth glanced around then crouched in front of the boy, "I wear black because I'm sad."  
  
"Whacha sad fer?" the boy asked, clasping his hands behind his back and digging his toe into the ground a little.  
  
"Because I- lost a lot of things," Sephiroth replied, looking down at the ground a moment.  
  
"What'd ya lose? Maybe I could help you find it! I don want you to be sad!" the boy replied, his brown eyes watering a little.  
  
Sephiroth tweaked the boy's cheek, "Just talking to you helps, but I just don't think I'm likely to find what I lost, because I never had it in the first place."  
  
The boy was extremely confused. "How could you lose it then?"  
  
"I just know it's not there, is all, I know where it is... I see it all around, everywhere, but I just can't get any for myself and that makes me sad," Sephiroth replied softly.  
  
The boy looked around, "What is it? Maybe I could get some for you."  
  
Sephiroth chuckled, "Its not that easy... at least I don't think it is."  
  
"But what is it?" the boy insisted.  
  
"Beauty."  
  
"Beauty? But why do you want that?" the boy asked, his little face contorted in thought.  
  
"You'll understand someday... but right now your mother is looking about ready to hurt me, so you'd better get back to her."  
  
The boy looked back at his mother who was glaring, "Okay," he said and dashed back to his mother, babbling at her about what he'd just talked about with Sephiroth.  
  
With a sigh, Sephiroth pushed himself up, glancing around again. Everything was bright and innocent seeming, yet Sephiroth felt he remained a dark patch in the glimmering picture of beauty. He felt out of place. He remembered his days in Hojo's lab, in Shinra. "No... I will not go back there," he said firmly to himself. "I may not belong here, but I won't go back there." He turned and stalked off, the young boy's mother still watching him warily.  
  
Sephiroth shook himself back into reality, realizing that someone was yelling, frantically. "Billy!" it was a woman. Sephiroth got to his feet and started through the trees, picking up the small shovel he'd brought out as he passed his garden. He knew that Bakara wouldn't run off, or if she did, she'd show up again the next time it rained. "Billy!!"  
  
He silently made his way through the undergrowth and came upon the mother of the little boy he'd talked to that morning. He was standing behind her, the leafy ground under his feet muffling his booted steps. She, however, was crashing through the woods, bound to waken a monster. He lurked behind her, out of sight.  
  
Moments later, just as he'd expected, a monster bounded out of the undergrowth, hitting the woman and knocking her to the ground. She shrieked, fighting feebly with her arms to keep the monster from tearing her throat out.  
  
The monster was at least twice the size of the woman with a thick hide and fur. Not to mention that it was hungry. Sephiroth sprang then, landing on it's back and gripping it with his knees, bringing the shovel down into the back of it's neck. There was a crack then blood gushed upward, soaking Sephiroth's front. The monster sagged down on top of the woman and she screamed again.  
  
"Be silent. It's dead," Sephiroth snapped, his temper getting the better of him. He kicked off the beast and landed lithely. Crouching down, he took hold of the monster and shoved it to the side and off the woman.  
  
She slowly got up, staring at Sephiroth as he pulled her arms away from her chest. "Nothing serious," he stated then glared at her, "What in the world were you doing out here all alone? And shouting like that, for the love of..." he bit off his words, gesturing at the monster, "You should know better then to go thrashing around in the woods screaming! That's just begging to get attacked by something even worse then that. You're just lucky I heard you first. I could have completely ignored you and been within my rights. Come on," he grabbed her wrist and dragged her back toward the town. Her frightened stare hurt worse then any wound he could have received from anything.  
  
She was somewhat comely but with effort, she could be beautiful. Her eyes were brown and large like her son's, her hair a golden blonde, hanging down her back in a thick braid. Her bangs were swept back from her rounded face, her chin the only sharp point other then her cutely upturned nose. Her body was well shaped, taller then most women with a thin layer of muscle, she had curves as well, but she had them hidden under her plain dress.  
  
They came back into town, Sephiroth dragging the woman behind him by her wrist, he was met by half the town's guards. "Oh God! What happened?" Roscoe asked, rushing up. "We heard the screams- are either of you hurt?"  
  
"She has some scratches. I suggest gathering the kids and having a long talk about not going into the forest and making a lot of noise," Sephiroth snapped at Roscoe, feeling rather peeved that he was once again covered in blood.  
  
"What about you S-Joseph?" Roscoe asked, his eyes wide, looking at how Sephiroth dripped blood and his hair was matted with it.  
  
"Like that thing would hurt me," Sephiroth snorted, stalking away, leaving the people there to gawk as he went back into the forest.  
  
"Billy! He's run off and I don't know where! I thought maybe he'd gone into the forest!" the woman gushed at Roscoe, explaining what had happened and how Joseph had come to save her.  
  
He went back into the forest, feeling something in the back of his mind, something that was where Jenova had once resided, egging him on to kill more and more. He heard a young shriek and followed the sound though the tangled forest, finding a pack of Jenova monsters surrounding the boy he'd talked to earlier, feeding off his fear and tormenting the boy. Sephiroth surveyed the situation, finding it possibly a better idea to charge in and sweep up the boy and dash back to the town, leading the back so he could kill them- or so the other guards could kill them.  
  
Sephiroth waited a moment then sprung into the pack, planting his foot on one cat-like monster's head, driving it down to the ground and possibly killing it. He didn't spare a moment, just swept the boy up and continued his forward motion, his knee slamming into the mouth of a monster that tried to bite him.  
  
He circled though the forest, headed back toward the village, knowing full well that the monsters, who were like large cats, were following him. He broke though the remaining trees, skidding to a stop and handing Billy over to a soldier and stealing the sword from his belt just as the pack came bursting out of the trees at full speed. None of the soldiers reacted and Sephiroth was firmly disgusted at them. He leapt quickly into action, single handedly killing the entire pack of twenty monsters before three minutes were even over.  
  
The people of the village came out slowly as Sephiroth looked at the sword in disgust, throwing it to the ground and stalking away. He entered the little hospital where he sill lived, pending the Council's approval of him getting his own house. He worked at getting his rent and bloody shirt off as he walked in, ignoring the fact that Layla was tending Billy's mother. Layla's eyes lifted to see him and he threw the bloody shirt in her face, "See if you can clean that," he snapped at her, anything to keep her from fawning on him. He was unhurt, only in a foul mood.  
  
Putting one hand against the wall, he pulled his boots off and threw them aside, kicking the door to the bathroom closed and stripping the remainder of his clothes off. He quickly got himself washed off and returned to the in-patient room where he got new clothes to pull on. These new clothes were black, just like the ones he'd been wearing before. He toweled his hair dry and stalked out of the in-patient room to find Layla and Billy's mother talking, finished with bandaging her arms and some of her chest, apparently. He ignored them as they stared.  
  
"Joseph-" Layla started to ask but was cut off when the door closed behind Sephiroth and he made his way back into the forest. Layla looked down, tears shimmering in her eyes, "How can I tell him anything when he does that to me?" she asked Billy's mother. "All he does is order me around and never listens to me!"  
  
"I don't know..." the young mother replied, pulling on a jacket to cover her torn dress. "I need to go see if they found Billy..." Layla nodded and wiped her eyes as the young mother slipped out the door. 


	7. Council Meeting

COUNCIL MEETING  
  
"Today's episode clinches it! He's dangerous! He led those monsters back into town to show his power and how he could lead more monsters into town to kill us all!" one of the younger members of the council stated, slamming his hand on the horseshoe table. The man was in his late forties, his hair thinned noticeably. His face was slack-skinned and seemed devoid of emotion because his eyebrows were missing as well. He was frowning now, his grey eyes glittering in the light of the lantern that lit the council room.  
  
The old man sat in the center, flanked by the other council members on either side. His long white beard flopping against his chest while he looked at the others. "Do you all feel this way?" he asked slowly.  
  
Three nodded, the fourth hesitated then nodded as well. The old man heaved a sigh, "Then tomorrow it will be done."  
  
Sephiroth stalked down the street, his face devoid of expression, Bakara perched on his shoulder. The streets seemed devoid of people. In fact, they were devoid of people. Sephiroth felt conspicuous, though there was no one to see him. Roscoe was stiff and dressed formally, as well as silent. Sephiroth had a bad feeling and wasn't sure he wanted to go to the council meeting, though he knew it would be impolite to skip out of town. He walked though the double doors behind Roscoe, finding out where everyone was the moment he walked into the meeting room, lead by Roscoe. All around the room were soldiers as if expecting something terrible to happen.  
  
Sephiroth's mouth felt dry and he realized he hadn't felt such dread since Hojo's death. The old man at the center of the horseshoe table looked firmly at the crowd who began to murmur softly the moment he entered.  
  
The old man got to his feet regally and cleared his throat. "Ladies and gentle men... Sephiroth," the old man started and Sephiroth's heart skipped a beat when he was referred to by his old name in front of everyone in the town, "It is in our utmost concern for the safety of this town and all those in it that we ask you this. We do not wish to-"  
  
"Its fine. I almost expected it. Just give me my sword and I'll go, no grudges, on my honor, if nothing else," Sephiroth interrupted.  
  
The old man swallowed, Sephiroth could see he was shaking. He looked off to the left and two men came forward, laboring under the weight of Masamune. Sephiroth waited until they came close enough for him to simply reach out and take it by the hilt and give his kitten to one of the soldiers a moment to pull the belt that usually held it to his back on then clipped his sword on. Taking Bakara again, he looked up at the council one last time. Turning to stalk out, he saw Layla's pale and teary face, he cringed visibly and forced himself to walk out, trying to ignore everyone's eyes, most importantly to ignore Billy's eyes, as well as his mother's and Layla's. The doctor was nowhere to be found. He hoped it stayed that way.  
  
Once outside, his resolve wavered and his feet stumbled to a stop. Lifting a shaking hand, he found his cheeks wet and more tears spilling from his eyes. Shaking his head, he forced himself to walk a few more steps then he heard the bang of the courthouse door.  
  
"Wait- please!" it was Layla, she dashed up, stopping a few steps behind him. "Please... take me with you?"  
  
Sephiroth shook his head firmly, "And have your death on my hands? Sure why not, put one more name on the list of millions I've killed and lead to their deaths," the sarcasm was somewhat marred by the lump in his throat.  
  
"They said you were evil... but... I just can't believe that. I can't! Not after what I've seen of you. You can be caring! Nothing's harmed that kitten of yours," Layla tried to cheer him, coming a few steps closer.  
  
"Only because she doesn't let anything hurt her. I simply feed her. No. I won't have you following me around. You can do better for yourself then some failed experiment, Layla."  
  
Layla's heart thudded, her eyes shining, it was the first time he'd actually called her by her name. "But the way you saved Krissy-"  
  
"And saving her was the beginning of the end for my days here," Sephiroth interrupted firmly and started off, leaving Layla where she was, standing there crying.  
  
He disappeared into the trees, his black blending with the shadows of the forest. Layla wiped her face hearing someone come up behind her. "Why are you still here?" the man behind her asked, his voice was nasal.  
  
"He.. wouldn't let me come..." she bowed her head, crying into her hands and running down the street, headed toward the hospital. 


	8. Delema

DELEMA  
  
"Why did you give that monster his dratted sword?! Now he's on the loose with that sword and possibly angry at us for kicking him out!" screamed one man in the audience after Layla and another weasel-faced man had left.  
  
Billy jumped up and ran toward the door, "You're all big meanies! He's just lookin fer somthin and you won't even help him! Well I'm gonna go help him!" his mother stood, trying to grab hold of her son but he slipped out the doors too quickly to be caught.  
  
"Billy!" his mother shrieked running after her son.  
  
Billy dashed out of the building, almost running into a short and thin man with long black hair and a pointed nose, on that nose a pair of bent glasses perched and behind those glasses were beady eyes. Billy instinctively dodged around this man, feeling the evil he possessed, but he wasn't fast enough.  
  
"You'll do nicely," the man said in a nasal voice and grabbed Billy's arm, dragging him away and out of sight just before his mother came out.  
  
"Billy!? Billy! I thought you'd learned by now! Billy!" as she called, she started to get worried. Looking around, she saw no sign of her son. Turning, she ran toward her house, hoping he'd gone home. "Billy!!" she called as she ran down the empty street.  
  
The bony man smirked where he was pressed against the wall in the shadow, Billy held firmly with a hand over the boy's mouth, a rag with ether spilled across it blocking the boy's breathing. Quickly, the boy went limp and the man stuffed the rag in his pocket, picking the boy up with some difficulty. "Now... to find a suitable base," the man muttered to himself. 


	9. Secrets

SECRETS  
  
Sephiroth stared down at his flowers, he felt like destroying them, but knew it wouldn't change what had happened and only go to prove their point... the point that he was a monster. Bakara had run off somewhere, he didn't expect her to come back anytime soon. He shook his head, his bangs brushing the top of his forehead. Turning, he stalked off into the woods to find a place to use as a shelter, camping here for a week had been fine, but he really thought he shouldn't be this close to the town. They weren't going to come out looking for him and ask him to come back.  
  
He was just about finished packing his things when a woman stepped out of the trees, more stumbled out of the undergrowth, but that wasn't the point. "Give him back."  
  
Sephiroth straightened, looking at her, it was the woman he'd rescued. He was about to demand why they'd want him back when he realized that's not what she'd said. "Give who back?"  
  
"My son! He didn't do anything to you! If you want to punish someone take me instead!" she started crying, she looked as if she hadn't slept in a week.  
  
"The kid?" Sephiroth asked, thinking back to the last time he'd seen the boy. "I'm sorry, but I don't have him, nor do I know where he is."  
  
She stared at him, "You- you don't have him?"  
  
Slowly, Sephiroth shook his head, "Remember? I don't take prisoners-"  
  
"-You killed him?!-"  
  
"-And I don't kill unarmed children. I don't know where he is, I haven't seen him. If I find him, be assured, I'll bring him back in whatever condition I found him in." Sephiroth turned then, leaving the clearing to her.  
  
She stepped up to the little patch of flowers and knelt, looking at the bright blooms and arrangement. "He...planted these..." she realized.  
  
Some traveling brought him to Old Mideel, or what was left of it. Sephiroth looked though the wreckage of the town, but found nothing usable. He turned, about to head back into the forest when something caught his eye, a building off just in the trees, untouched by the uprising of the Lifestream.  
  
He made his way over to the building, stepping over things that had grown across the walkway leading to the front door. Sephiroth paused a moment, there was something wrong, he could feel fear coming from inside, as well as sadistic delight. Something told him that people with mako and Jenova cells were inside and he was about to walk in on them. He slowly pushed the door open, or tried to, it fell flat on the floor inside the moment he put a little force to it, the hinges had broken long ago, apparently. The room was bare, dusty, and broken.  
  
The bright glow from his eyes lit the interior as he stepped in, the feeling of fear from someone else coming stronger. There was a choice as to which way to go, there was only a short hallway directly inside the front door with a door on either side. Looking into the left door, the glow of his eyes reflected off what was left of a table and some chairs. Looking right-  
  
"So you've finally returned to me, Sephiroth," a familiar voice said in the darkness then lights came on. Sephiroth squinted slightly, finally seeing the boy and Hojo. The boy was strapped to a folding table, needles stabbed into his muscles injecting mako into him. "I'd like you to meet your new little brother, Sephiroth," Hojo said with sadistic pleasure as he watched Sephiroth's face for any reaction.  
  
"You truly enjoy tormenting me, don't you?" Sephiroth asked stoically as he looked upon the scene of a make-shift laboratory.  
  
"With how you failed me- my own son failed me!" Hojo glowered at Sephiroth. "I knew your mother was just a shoddy excuse for a whore and your being related to her is no doubt why you failed." Sephiroth's eyes narrowed slightly, everything fell into place now.  
  
"No."  
  
"'No' what? 'No' you'll do as you're told now or 'No' you won't do as I tell you to?" Hojo demanded coming up to Sephiroth, trying to look the much taller and younger man in the eyes.  
  
"No I'm not your son."  
  
"Yes you are-"  
  
"Did you check?" Sephiroth interrupted.  
  
"I don't have to-"  
  
"Really... then you don't know for sure."  
  
Hojo fumed, "Whatever gives you the idea that I might not be?"  
  
"Well, you mentioned my mother was a whore," Sephiroth leaned against the doorframe nonchalantly, waiting for Hojo to just turn his back.  
  
"The only other one- she said she hadn't!" Hojo hissed then leveled a finger at Sephiroth, "No son of mine could have failed so miserably, you must be the bastard of that damn Turk!"  
  
Sephiroth's own hand snapped out, grabbing Hojo by the arm and dragging him out of the building entirely. "And now I'll teach you to never point at me," Sephiroth growled as he began breaking every bone in Hojo's body, thankfully out of sight of Billy. 


	10. Joy At Last

JOY AT LAST  
  
Sephiroth spent the next two hours gleefully hacking Hojo into bits and feeding him to various animals as he carried Billy back to New Mideel. Thankfully Billy was passed out from the mako injection.  
  
Sephiroth dragged along what was left of Hojo in his blood-soaked labcoat though the streets of New Mideel as he made his way to the hospital. He left the remains outside as he brought Billy in, setting him on the desk in front of Layla, "Little something for you, now if you don't mind, I've got a little bit of Hojo left to deposit somewhere."  
  
Layla stared at his gory state then down at Billy. When she looked back up, Sephiroth was gone. The doctor came out of the inpatient room and saw Billy. Quickly making his way over, he looked at the boy. "Some Mako poisoning, though his body is young, he should be able to take it and survive."  
  
Layla looked out at the trail of blood and shivered, "He...said he ...." she shook her head.  
  
"I know, I heard him, that's why I came out," the doctor said softly, "Go get the boy's mother, Layla."  
  
"I'm already here!" the young woman said, leaning against the doorframe to catch her breath, "I- saw the blood- I knew- only that bastard would do that kind of disgusting thing," she came in, "gods- is my boy alright?"  
  
"He'll be fine... The one he was dragging around like that was the one who did this to your boy," the doctor explained, "Looks like Hojo gave him mako-Jenova treatment..."  
  
"How do you know all this?" Billy's mother asked, suspiciously, touching her son's hair.  
  
"I used to work under Hojo. I'm somewhat surprised Sephiroth hadn't recognized me." The old man shook his head as he wrote in a notepad, "I'm not sorry to see Hojo end this way, in my opinion, he asked for it. Tormenting that poor boy the way he did." The doctor snapped closed his notepad then got to work on getting Billy comfortable in a bed then left to inform the council that the boy had been found. He also intended to inform them that the one who had kidnapped him punished- by Sephiroth.  
  
Billy's mother shook her head, "When he was talking about Hojo tormenting 'the boy' did he mean Billy or Sephiroth?" she asked Layla softly.  
  
"I don't know... but I hope J-....Sephiroth is okay out there..." Layla said, hanging her head as she sat back down behind the desk.  
  
"Did you know that he really was gardening? I found him a week ago in a clearing in the woods... there was a big patch of transplanted flowers," Billy's mother said in a hushed voice, standing where she could see her boy and talk to Layla.  
  
Layla lifted her head, "Really?"  
  
"Turns out he's got a very good sense of arrangement..." 


	11. Epilogue

A/N: Alright, Lady Voldemort, you talked me into it. I'll write a few more chapters, I was trying to finish it early because my stories always end up going on and on forever it seems. *points at A True Sephiroth Clone and it's 22-and-still-going chapters* Also, I based Bakara after my own kitty- who's a complete meanyhead but I love her anyway- Mauxi. As of now, she's asleep on my bed looking cute and planning evilness to leave on the front doorstep late at night. Mmmm, tasty, rabbit liver and bird heart. I could become an expert on animal anatomy before long.)  
  
EPILOGUE (or is it appendix? Whichever..)  
  
Sephiroth had finished depositing bits and pieces of Hojo everywhere, now he was bored, and finally had admitted to himself that killing him hadn't been really what he'd wanted in the first place. He stalked through the woods, not headed in any particular direction when something snagged his ankle.  
  
Looking down, he found, of all things, a grey fuzball chewing on the ankle of his boot. "Bakara," he said softly, fondly almost. He picked her up, getting his hand chewed on for his effort, but he simply let her do it, maybe she'd settle down when she grew up more. It had been three days since he'd returned Billy to the town, though he didn't have to go back to find out if the boy was alright. Sephiroth felt in the back of his mind that the boy had survived and bounced back almost the day after being rescued.  
  
Closing his eyes, he saw flashes of images from the boy. Images of a somewhat worried mother, the boy's friends all amazed at his sudden stamina increase as well as strength, effects of Jenova cells in his blood, his eyes were most likely changed as well. Sephiroth shook his head, opening his eyes to look at Bakara again. She was happily chewing on his finger, purring away, odd sound to hear when she was chewing at the same time. He could feel that she'd lost a tooth.  
  
  
  
Billy looked up at his mother's question, blinking a few times as he shoveled another spoonful of oatmeal into his mouth. "Sure I c'n talk t' 'im, Ma! 'E tells me 'ow t' keep from blowin things up when I don' wanna!" the boy said brightly.  
  
His mother sat down carefully, heaving a sigh of relief, apparently, Sephiroth had more sense then to leave a little boy with sudden extraordinary powers unchecked. "So he's still around or how do you talk to him?"  
  
Billy swallowed, "'Es in t' woods still, but I talk t' im in my head!" His mother gave him a strange look that the boy missed, simply because he was getting another spoonful to his mouth.  
  
"Could you ask him to come back to town? The council wants to talk to him," she leaned forward slightly, "please, Billy, ask him for me?"  
  
Billy lifted his eyes from his bowl and looked carefully at his mother, "I'm noh' sure 'e wants t' come back, seein as 'ow they kicked 'im out lik' tha'....But- I'll ask im fer you!" the boy added brightly when his mom looked about ready to simply fall over.  
  
  
  
Will you come back? Mom asked and said 'please' to me! Billy's voice pleaded as he finished off his oatmeal.  
  
Sephiroth said nothing for a moment, heaving a long sigh. You do realize that they kicked me out because they feared that I would do just what I did to that man....  
  
Yeah, I know. But that guy disserved it! Billy's childish enthusiasm was somewhat irritating Sephiroth and he thought briefly of blocking him out and just finding a way to Junon or something.  
  
Fine...I'll come.  
  
Yay! Billy said out loud and mentally.  
  
"What is it Billy?" his mother asked at she washed dishes.  
  
"Sephy said he'd come back!" Billy bubbled and ran around the table a few times.  
  
His mother turned to look at her son, "You asked him-? How?... Nevermind, I might not want to know the answer to that." She shook her head putting the last dish aside to dry. "Come on, Billy, lets go tell the council." She stepped over toward the door and managed to touch her son's hair before he was completely out the door and running down the street at full speed.  
  
  
  
It was raining, and raining hard by the time Sephiroth had managed to get to New Mideel. Bakara was tucked inside the arm of his coat, asleep while Sephiroth slogged though the deluge. Some puddles were at least six inches deep already and it had been raining for only an hour, it didn't look like it was going to stop anytime soon either.  
  
He stalked down the street, headed for the council building. He felt eyes on him, glancing to his sides to see fearful eyes peering out of windows at him. He assumed they were fearful anyway. Sephiroth bowed his head somewhat, trying to pretend the water streaming from his eyes was simply rain.  
  
The rain poured down harder as he neared the building, making it hard to see more then a few feet ahead, but he found his way, opening the door and stepping in. Closing the door from the gust of wind that tried to rip it open again, Sephiroth unzipped his coat and reached in, pulling Bakara out. Setting her on a bench, he worked at getting his soaked holster for Masamune off, then his coat, hanging them on hooks near the door. He turned and blinked, finding Layla wrapping a warm towel around him and taking another to dry his hair.  
  
"Keep at this and you'll catch the Flu again," she said softly as she led him over to a bench to sit down while she dried his hair.  
  
"Not like I had much of a choice," he muttered softly, a warm feeling seeping into his heart.  
  
Layla said nothing, simply started taking off his shirt. "I've got some dry clothes for you," she finally said when he moved to stop her. "Its not like I haven't seen you naked before either," she smiled hesitantly, ready to drop it and apologize should he have not found it funny.  
  
Sephiroth found himself smiling slightly, "True," he replied and allowed her to help him peel the wet clothes off. "You know who I am... What I've done... why-"  
  
"Because I think you could become something more then what you were, Joseph," Layla interrupted him, taking his hands for a brief moment. She blushed, going to her toes and pecking a kiss on his lips.  
  
He blushed as well, "I-... I'm sorry I treated you...the way I did."  
  
Layla smiled, her cheeks still red, "Its alright. I would still love you even if you'd treated me like a mutt."  
  
"Love me?" Sephiroth asked hesitantly, finding that his hands were still linked with hers. Layla nodded slowly, refusing to look at his face. "If... if .... could you....teach me to love?" he found himself shaking somewhat.  
  
Layla lifted her eyes to his, staring up at him in astonishment, tears on her cheeks. "Of course I could... I hope... If you give me the chance to. I'd be honored to teach you anything an-" He had the feeling she was going to start babbling and swept down, placing his lips upon hers. It had the desired effect of stemming the flow of words, but also, he found himself enjoying it. "Joseph...Sephiroth..." Layla whispered softly when the kiss was over, putting her head against his chest.  
  
"I-... I'd better go see what the Committee wants now," he said, though he didn't remove his arms from around her, nor did she attempt to remove hers.  
  
Bakara yowled, breaking the moment, she wanted outside. Sephiroth and Layla finally stepped back from each other and he swept up the kitten, making his way though the inner doors and finally into the council chamber. He found a select few sitting as audience and all the council members facing him.  
  
"Sephiroth, we would like you to tell us your account of the happenings three days ago when you supposedly rescued Billy Hesku," the old man said, he'd recently had his beard trimmed and it bristled around his chin like something from the sea. His wizened old face was scowling deeply.  
  
Sephiroth still felt shaky from his encounter with Layla, his heart still fluttered in his chest. He swallowed and thought briefly of what he was going to say, finally deciding on the short version. "I was looking for somewhere to spend the night and happened upon an old house in Old Mideel where I..." he choked, feeling the anger he'd had for Hojo.  
  
"Go on," the old man prompted.  
  
"Where I found Hojo ...attempting to make Billy into yet another clone of me. I... I couldn't let him do that... I couldn't let him do even a fourth of the things to Billy that he'd done to me... I couldn't let him do that to anyone." Sephiroth closed his eyes, feeling again the stab of the needles into his body injecting mako and Jenova cells.  
  
"And what did you do when you found this man?" another council member prodded. An elder woman of about sixty-five, her hair was still somewhat black with long streaks of white. She had her hair pulled up into a bun on top of her head, dressed in a simple dark blue dress. The wrinkles on her face had almost taken over.  
  
"I killed him, in as terrible was as I could manage. In my opinion, he's done far worse things to many more people then I ever have or will," Sephiroth said firmly, looking defiantly up at the council members, most looked away.  
  
"So you murdered him. In cold blood," stated the fifty year old man in a stony voice.  
  
"If that's how you want to put it, then I did, and if you'd endured almost thirty years of experiments, tests, mako injections, humiliation, dissections, been forced to live in a laboratory.... I think you would have killed him too."  
  
"Forced to live in a laboratory?" asked the eldest man, leaning forward slightly.  
  
"You think I'd lie?" Sephiroth turned, pointing almost viciously at the doctor. "Ask him. He worked under Hojo. He saw some of the things done to me."  
  
"Abuse is no reason to kill a man," interrupted the woman again, slapping her hand on the table.  
  
Sephiroth turned and smiled at her, "You'd say differently if you'd ever met Hojo, but I doubt you'd believe me on that point."  
  
"So you killed him with no other motive in mind then to exact your revenge on him," stated the fifty year old again.  
  
"Or you could say I was simply saving the world from another demented psychotic like myself being created," Sephiroth spat. "If this was all you wanted me here for, then I'm leaving. I will not put up with this."  
  
He turned, headed toward the door, finding Layla standing there, blocking his way out. "We had one other thing to ask you," said the eldest man.  
  
Turning halfway to glare at the one who'd spoken, he waited. "If we gave you the chance to live here on condition that you tended a flower shop and married Layla... would you accept?"  
  
Sephiroth found himself chewing on his tongue somewhat as he looked from the council members to Layla, trying to figure out if this was simply something to humiliate him in front of people or they really meant it. Looking back at Layla, he recalled the feeling he'd had when she was drying his hair.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"So be it," said the elder council member as Layla walked forward, her eyes shining with tears. She grabbed hold of his arm and clung tenaciously to it. A book was set on the table in front of the elder council member and he signed in it, then passed it down the line to the others. "Congratulations, Mister and Mrs. Joseph Hitache, you are now man and wife."  
  
Sephiroth felt like his brain had fallen all the way to his feet, dragging his stomach with it. He couldn't help the thought what've I gotten myself into?.  
  
"I'll take good care of you, Joseph," Layla whispered softly as everyone in the room got to their feet applauding for the new couple.  
  
FIN- for real this time!! 


	12. Additional Authoress Notes

ADDITIONAL AUTHOR NOTES  
  
Hey! Thanks for reading my story! This isn't part of it, just some stuff to say thank you for reviewing (those that did) and thank you for reading!  
  
Please excuse some of the grammar mistakes and I was watching for 'cloths' by the time I wrote epilogue. I really should pay a little more attention in English class, eh? --- I tried to fix all of them in this new edition of the story, so if you see something wrong, please review and tell me about it. ^_~  
  
As for Sephy's change of heart toward Layla, he really hadn't expected her to dry his hair and be so concerned for him. It threw him off guard for a moment there. The way I figure, he's always been looking for one thing. Love.  
  
Also, I think he was thinking there at the end, 'Hell, why not say "Yes", maybe they'll leave me alone... besides, sometimes you've gotta just jump for it. I might actually find what I want.'  
  
The last name 'Hitache' is Layla's last name, Seph didn't have one before so they gave him her's. Maybe I'll write a sequel about Sephy and Layla's problematic marriage? In any case, I've said more then enough.  
  
Also-also, the first time I put this up, I forgot a chapter, I'm fixing it to put that back in.  
  
  
  
Aloria, head of the Department of Redundancy Department. 


End file.
